JEFFIE LAM
PUBLISHED : Friday, 11 December, 2015, 12:01am
UPDATED : Friday, 11 December, 2015, 2:40am
Zoe Chow is treading carefully after being elected to Sham Shui Po district council. Photo: Bruce Yan
Zoe Chow Wing-heng , 27
Political affiliation: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood
Education: Bachelor of Social Sciences from Lingnan University (2011); Master of Cultural Studies (2014)
Newly elected district councillor Zoe Chow Wing-heng was once punched by an old man when she called on fellow residents to join the annual July 1 pro-democracy march last year.
The now 27-year-old, of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, soon realised it was impossible to bring the democracy message to the constituency she worked in simply by chanting the slogan "I want genuine universal suffrage" or dishing out pamphlets.
The constituency - Fortune - comprises mostly ageing public housing in Cheung Sha Wan.
"The issue of political reform has to be dealt with very delicately here," Chow told the South China Morning Post. "The idea of democracy might not easily be understood by senior residents."
The concept of democracy should instead be "infiltrated" into the community, Chow said, as her mentor, lawmaker and party colleague Frederick Fung Kin-kee, taught her. Fung lost his seat in the district elections.
Residents could eventually feel the spirit of democracy if a councillor involved them in his or her work in improving the community, said Chow.
"The community should not be led by one person as it is owned by everybody," she said. "Every resident should have a say in it."
A 2011 graduate of Lingnan University, Chow said she was greatly influenced by her friends who shared the goal of fighting for a fair and democratic society.
But she did not join any political party until a year later.
"It seems residents' voices are never heard. Even after a big movement or rally, Hongkongers just go back to work the day after," said Chow, referring to the days after Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying assumed office.
Chow then decided to work for Fung in his district office and prepared for the polls by working day and night in the community, including following up residents' complaints. She beat Cheung Tak-wai of the pro-establishment camp by 239 votes.
Looking ahead, Chow not only wants to infuse new ideas into Sham Shui Po District Council but also the party, which she admits has given the public the impression of being "old-fashioned".
"I have considered running for the party's central committee," she said. "It is time for young members to stand out."
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1889574/hong-kong-district-council-newcomer-eyes-bigger-role-young
